The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has introduced a draft state budget for 2026 that allocates record funding to the education sector. The proposal, which awaits parliamentary approval, has earned strong backing from Education International (EI) and the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE).
Acting through the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine, EI General Secretary David Edwards and ETUCE Director Jelmer Evers sent a letter to Parliament Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, underscoring the crucial role of teachers.
Since the full-scale invasion, educators have shown resilience by teaching in classrooms, online, and even from bomb shelters. “Teachers are the architects of the future Ukraine is fighting for. However, for teachers to be effective, they need a wage that enables them to live with dignity,” the letter stated.
With inflation cutting into incomes, teachers have been demanding change. A union petition calling for salary increases gathered 25,000 signatures within four days, highlighting urgent financial pressures.
The High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, convened by the UN, has reinforced that competitive salaries are essential to attract and retain quality educators.
The 2026 draft budget proposes 265.4 billion UAH for education. Key measures include significant teacher pay raises, free school meals, increased student scholarships, upgraded shelters for schools, and new buses. These steps, shaped through dialogue with the teachers’ union, reflect a shared commitment to building a strong and resilient education system.
“If there is one resource Ukraine cannot afford to lose, it is its teachers,” Edwards and Evers concluded, urging lawmakers to support the budget as a vital investment in Ukraine’s future.
Ukraine’s 2026 Budget Boosts Education with Historic Investment in Teachers
